All about Anxiety Disorders

For people suffering from anxiety disorders, anxiety is not merely an occasional wave of apprehension, but a serious disorder that needs to be addressed urgently. In case of such individuals, anxiety disorders last for six months or more and often aggravate with time due to lack of proper treatment. Since anxiety disorders are usually accompanied by mental or physical illnesses, they are generally disguised by alcohol or substance abuse making it difficult to recognize symptoms of anxiety disorders. As a result, it becomes crucial to treat other illnesses first in order to prepare the person for treatment of anxiety disorders.

Types of Anxiety Disorders

• Panic Disorder - People suffering from panic attacks tend to avoid visiting places where they have had a panic attack, as they tend to associate these places with their illness. For instance, if a panic attack occurred in an elevator, someone suffering from this disorder may fear using elevators and thus avoid staying in apartments or working in offices located in high rise buildings. Feelings of fear are dominant and such people experience frequent attacks of terror that are accompanied by symptoms such as perspiration, dizziness, and pounding heart. People having a panic attack may feel as if they are about to die, or are losing their mind or having a heart attack. Since panic attacks are sudden, people suffering from this form of disorder get stressed out worrying about their illness and dreading their next attack.
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - People suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) usually have constant, disturbing thoughts or "obsessions" and often resort to stringent rituals or "compulsions" to overcome the anxiety that results from such thoughts. For instance, people obsessed with hygiene, may get into the habit of washing their hands frequently. Other common rituals may include frequently checking if the door is locked, or if the stove is off, or count things again and again.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - This type of disorder usually develops after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event that involved physical harm or at least a threat of physical harm. Thus traumatic incidents like child abuse, plane crash, bomb blasts, and natural calamities can affect people severely and even make them emotionally numb. They become irritable, lose interest in everything around them, and usually suffer from sleep problems.
• Social Phobia - People suffering from this form of disorder, usually become extremely self-conscious in social situations, as they fear that they are constantly being observed and judged by others. This fear interferes with daily activities and may make it increasing difficult to keep friends or develop a good rapport.
• Specific Phobia - People with specific phobia develop an irrational fear for something that may not be actually dangerous. Thus, someone with specific phobia may dread driving, dogs, tunnels, escalators, and so on.
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) - Someone suffering from this type of disorder, may experience constant tension and worry about issues unnecessarily all through the day. This habit of constant worrying makes it impossible to lead a normal stress free life and a person suffering from GAD usually has poor concentration.

Treating Anxiety Disorders
It is possible to treat anxiety disorders, however it is important to recognize the symptoms and seek professional help immediately.

With more than forty million American adults suffering from anxiety disorders, it is one of the major health concerns in the United States today. Most of us experience anxiety, fear, or nervousness while attending our first interview, or during our first stage performance. Although it’s quite normal to experience these feelings occasionally, some people may suffer from constant anxiety that can disrupt their normal lives. They may experience panic attacks, shyness while meeting new people, or develop phobias that may affect their social life drastically. Treating anxiety disorders is possible and the form of treatment will largely depend on the nature of problem and individual preference. Health experts emphasize on medication, certain forms of psychotherapy or a combination of both for treating anxiety disorders effectively. Before going ahead with the treatment, doctors, conduct a through diagnostic exam to determine the type of anxiety disorder. If the person is also a victim of alcohol or substance abuse, it is important to deal with that problem first to ensure that the patient benefits from the treatment.

• Medication - Although you can entirely rely on medicines for treating anxiety disorders, medication plays an important role in keeping them under control if you are receiving psychotherapy. Your physician may prescribe antidepressants, beta-blockers, and anti-anxiety drugs to put a check on various physical symptoms associated with the disorder.
• Antidepressants - Basically developed to treat depression, antidepressants have been found very effective in dealing with anxiety disorders. You may require as long as four to six weeks in order to notice a significant difference. However, you need to continue taking antidepressants for a while to gain full control over your illness.
• SSRIs - Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs are the newest forms of antidepressants and are used to alter the levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. Like other neurotransmitters, serotonin also facilitates communication among brain cells and SSRIs are usually prescribed for anxiety disorders like OCD, panic disorder, social phobia, and PTSD. SSRIs have also been very effective in treating patients who suffer from a combination of panic disorder and OCD, depression, or social phobia. Some of the most commonly prescribed SSRIs include citalopram (Celexa®), sertraline (Zoloft®), paroxetine (Paxil®), Fluoxetine (Prozac®), and escitalopram (Lexapro®).
• Tricyclics - Much older than SSRIs, tricyclics are prescribed for treating anxiety disorders except OCD. Some of the side effects caused by tricyclics include dryness in the mouth, drowsiness, dizziness, and weight gain.
• Psychotherapy - Psychotherapy involves counseling that is required to reach to the root of the problem and work out ways to deal with the symptoms.
• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy - Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), a highly effective form of treatment, is used to change those thoughts that support fear, and help people change the way they respond to anxiety-provoking situations.

Incorporating simple stress management techniques and meditation in your routine life can have a very relaxing effect on the mind and help you deal with the symptoms effectively. Other options include MAOIs, anti-anxiety drugs, and beta-blockers that can be used to control symptoms of anxiety disorders. Many people suffering from anxiety disorders have learnt to deal with their problem and have managed to lead a healthy, fulfilling life with proper treatment.